Soon after Marius's departure, Fanny learns that she is pregnant with his child, to the disappointment of her mother and of Marius's father, César. To secure a better life for her unborn child, she accepts a marriage proposal from the aging widower Honoré Panisse.
Acting
Raimu's César is volcanic, vulnerable, unforgettable.
Writing
Pagnol's dialogue builds entire worlds in Marseille slang.
Production
The Vieux-Port feels lived-in, timeless, utterly specific.
Director
Marc Allégret
Orane Demazis
Fanny Cabanis Panisse
Raimu
César Olivier
Fernand Charpin
Honoré Panisse
Alida Rouffe
Honorine Cabanis
Marcel Maupi
Innocent Mangiapan, ferry crewman
Robert Vattier
Monsieur Brun
Milly Mathis
Claudine Foulon
Pierre Fresnay
Marius Olivier
Édouard Delmont
Dr. Felicien Venelle (uncredited)
Pierre Prévert
Un voyageur du tramway (uncredited)
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Part of Marcel Pagnol's 'Marseille trilogy,' this was actually filmed on location in the Vieux-Port—rare for 1932 French cinema, which preferred studio control.
Raimu originated César on stage and refused film adaptations for years, fearing cinema would flatten his volcanic performance. This was his breakthrough.
FR
